President Solih in Meedhoo amid PPM protests

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih visited R. Meedhoo as the third destination of his presidential primary campaign this Friday late-afternoon.

Ahead of the president's visit to the island, PPM supporters gathered at the port to demand the release of former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who has been jailed for 11 years.

When they reached the harbour area with banners and posters with their protests written on them, the police detained them at a certain point to prevent them from approaching the president's boat.

The president descended and shook hands with supporters and then walked into the island amid the uproar of opposition supporters.

While MDP supporters chanted the president's campaign song loudly, the opposition party's supporters continued to sing the 'Felaalaifi', which is now commonly used to criticise the government during the opposition's activities.

The President began his campaign in this atoll from Alifushi on Friday morning. Later, he went to Maakurath and Innamaadhoo. Meedhoo was the first to come out to protest against the president.

President Solih, who is pitted against former president and party president Mohamed Nasheed, began his primary campaign during a protest by the opposition PPM-PNC. At the first meeting he attended during the campaign, the President was speaking at MDP's headquarters in Male, while the opposition party, which had gathered on the other side of the venue, shouted slogans against the president and the government.

The President is scheduled to address a public meeting in the island this evening. After concluding his campaign in this atoll, he will travel to Noonu atoll tomorrow.